ARC, 357 pages
Release Date: January 30, 2018Published by: Flatiron Books
Read from: January 22-28, 2018The Hazelwood, #1Source: PublisherFor fans of: Magical Realism, Fantasy, Horror, YA/Adult Crossover AppealSeventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother’s stories are set. Alice’s only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”
Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother’s tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.
*MY THOUGHTS*
With all hype
surrounding this book, I was worried I wasn’t going to like it. But as soon as
I began reading it, I knew it was something I would enjoy. From the writing
style, to the fairy tales included, it all screamed me.
surrounding this book, I was worried I wasn’t going to like it. But as soon as
I began reading it, I knew it was something I would enjoy. From the writing
style, to the fairy tales included, it all screamed me.
“If Hinterland’s real, maybe all of it’s real. We could look for Neverland. Or Narnia.”pg. 187
Alice and her mom
are always running around the bad luck that seems attached to them. However, no
matter where they go, they can’t seem to shake it. But when they learn that
Alice’s grandmother has died and left her estate, The Hazel Wood, to them, Alice
wants to learn more, while her mother does not. But then her mother is stolen
away and the only thing she says to Alice is, “Stay away from the Hazel
Wood.” This of course prompts her to try to find her way there…
are always running around the bad luck that seems attached to them. However, no
matter where they go, they can’t seem to shake it. But when they learn that
Alice’s grandmother has died and left her estate, The Hazel Wood, to them, Alice
wants to learn more, while her mother does not. But then her mother is stolen
away and the only thing she says to Alice is, “Stay away from the Hazel
Wood.” This of course prompts her to try to find her way there…
“Hell is caring about other people.”pg. 189
The first thing I
noticed about this book was the writing style. I was barely on page 8 before I
had to comment on it. I easily got lost in the flow of her words. As the book
went on, it got better when it got creepy. It was perfect blend and I loved it.
It made for a book with great cross-over appeal. I can see myself giving this
to the teens I work with, as well as the adults that are looking for something
spooky.
noticed about this book was the writing style. I was barely on page 8 before I
had to comment on it. I easily got lost in the flow of her words. As the book
went on, it got better when it got creepy. It was perfect blend and I loved it.
It made for a book with great cross-over appeal. I can see myself giving this
to the teens I work with, as well as the adults that are looking for something
spooky.
“Cold hands, cold heart.”pg. 196
I also really
loved the characters. Everyone was messed up, but in a story like this, it was
expected. I knew there wasn’t really going to be anyone that I just connected
to and loved because I mean…. Look at the situation lol But overall it made
sense for them to be weird.
loved the characters. Everyone was messed up, but in a story like this, it was
expected. I knew there wasn’t really going to be anyone that I just connected
to and loved because I mean…. Look at the situation lol But overall it made
sense for them to be weird.
“You’re both, and neither. You’re a […], but that doesn’t make you any less true.”pg. 250
The only things I
didn’t care for was the predictability and the weird ending. Most of what
happens in the book is already told in the synopsis. That’s one of my pet
peeves. Like why should I read the book when its already told me? (This one doesn’t
tell you exactly what happens, but it does give you bits and pieces to figure
it out on your own.) And then there was the ending. For all that happened at
the end leading up to the climax, I felt like the “big fight” at the end wasn’t
that creepy. I was just expecting more to come out of such a buildup that was THAT
trippy. It didn’t seem enough for me.
didn’t care for was the predictability and the weird ending. Most of what
happens in the book is already told in the synopsis. That’s one of my pet
peeves. Like why should I read the book when its already told me? (This one doesn’t
tell you exactly what happens, but it does give you bits and pieces to figure
it out on your own.) And then there was the ending. For all that happened at
the end leading up to the climax, I felt like the “big fight” at the end wasn’t
that creepy. I was just expecting more to come out of such a buildup that was THAT
trippy. It didn’t seem enough for me.
“…there’s no way out without first going in.”pg. 307
But, everything
was really wrapped up at the end, so I’m pretty interested in seeing what she’ll
do to make this a series. I’m hoping that there is a book on someone, but we’ll
see! For the most part, the book was good on its own, so I’m a bit confused on
what can come from the next book, but we shall see.
was really wrapped up at the end, so I’m pretty interested in seeing what she’ll
do to make this a series. I’m hoping that there is a book on someone, but we’ll
see! For the most part, the book was good on its own, so I’m a bit confused on
what can come from the next book, but we shall see.
Overall, I give this
Yaaay I'm happy you liked it! Melissa Albert is a super talented writer.
I really liked this one and I've been thinking about it a lot since reading it (which was a while ago because I read it to review for SLJ). I liked a lot of the pieces but the ending really didn't work for me–it was very neat and some of it was very abrupt. I think I'm most excited to see the book of short stories–the pieces we got in The Hazel Wood were so tantalizing.